Uncle and Sarada
by Papa Sasuke
Summary: "Uncle?" Itachi opened his eyes, glancing sideways at Sarada who inched closer to him on the couch. "Hm?" Itachi questioned casually as Sarada froze, smiling as she giggled happily to herself while Itachi continued to keep a confused gaze on his niece. "Can you tell me a story?"


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto :)**

"Uncle?"

Itachi looked up, his eyes nonchalantly intense as he glared sideways at his niece, who glared with the same penetrating stare as him. "Hm?" He answered, his arm holding up his head while his black hair was gathered together in a loose ponytail that hung slackly behind his head, touching the back of the brown couch he was laying across, barely.

"Can you tell me a story?" Sarada asked, her voice piped into an excited giggle when she saw Itachi's face broaden with interest and concern. Tell her a story? He thought deeply, but pretended not to show too much thought as he put up his hand when one came to mind. It wasn't too gory like some of his… other stories, and it had some sort of romantic _flare_ that he knew Sarada was most interested in. She was different from most Uchihas, who weren't usually so open about their deepened feelings, but her shining black hair, enormous brain, and largely diverse personality proved all doubters, otherwise.

"A story?" He asked her mysteriously, as he stood still in his same slack potion, his hand resting under his head while his elbow held up half of his body. His legs were thrown over the edge of the couch, hanging off the edge.

Sarada nodded, standing up from her kneeling position. Her Karin-branded glasses fell slowly as she stood up so she pushed them back up the bridge of her nose with her pointed finger, folding it at her side after she was done. "Yeah, a story."

Itachi, smiled, pushing himself up with his folded hand and sitting straight up against the couch, motioning with a flick of his wrist for Sarada to come sit next to him. She was adorable, and Itachi couldn't think anyone better than himself to be a babysitter. Anyone else couldn't be trusted, he had always put into mind.

While Sarada scooted up to her only uncle, Itachi threw his arm around her affectionally, pulling her closer to his side gently, but not forcefully. "How about the story of how your mother and father first met." He stated, casting a glance at the red-cheeked Sarada, who smiled largely at his bold suggestion.

"I haven't gotten told that one yet!" She sat quietly as Itachi glared straight ahead, waiting for his full niece's attention.

He smiled, glad to be the center of Sarada's undivided attention at that point in time, her fists were clenched excitingly up to her face while she leaned against his shoulder. He closed his eyes and started. "It was on a day like any other: the sun was shining broadly while the birds sang joyfully to the sky, flying in flocks over Konoha. Your mother didn't always have that brave, ruthless, and selfless personality she has now. She was completely shy, insecure, and rather frustrated with her looks and larger forehead."

Itachi looked over at Sarada, who had her hands up to her forehead, grunting disapproving sounds when she realized how big her own forehead was. She lowered her head, the white glare in her glasses blinding him from seeing her eyes. "I get made fun of at the Academy for my big forehead." She sighed, turning away from him.

Itachi frowned, deciding for himself that he needed to talk to Sarada about these types of things. He then smirked, realizing that maybe that was a part he should have left out, but it was good for Sarada to realize the beauty in her own nature. "Sarada, don't worry about how you look." He curled his fingers pointing them towards her before giving her a quick tap on the forehead with his index and center finger, then afterward, pulling back, warmly. "You are beautiful the way you are and the way you are alone. You don't need to change or feel wrong about any of your unique features just because you may look different from someone else. You alone are unique in your own special way, and that's what makes everyone else each different from their own brother or sister. We do not know what kind of people we truly are until the moment before our deaths. But until then, accept who you are. You are most beautiful; your oncoming journey as a Genin," He paused, smirking quietly at her while nodding towards her headband that clung to her forehead. "Chunin, Jounin, and eventually Hokage will come in time. If you are facing the right direction, all you need to do is continue walking." He concluded, looking confusingly at the bewildered expression of his twelve-year old. He then looked away from her, "Knowledge and awareness are vague, and perhaps better called illusions. Sarada, just accept yourself and continue your journey. There are no short cuts in becoming the Hokage," He looked up at the whitened ceiling, processing that in his brain. "That's what I have been told."

Sarada's frown faded and was replaced with a comprehensive grin as her eyes glazed at Uncle with accepting and grateful smile as she urged him with a nod of her head to continue his previous story, prior to his long lecturing speech.

"If you want to know who you are, you have to look at your real self and acknowledge what you see." He ended his lecture with Sarada's intent beam.

I'm glad she understands, Itachi thought proudly as he nodded his head in approval while continuing his story. "Sakura was many things, but far from understanding. She had approached Sasuke from a far, with flowers of many colors. Sasuke, at the time, was young and mislead about the feelings and ideas of romance and never considered it as a thought. Instead, he dismissed all the seeds that had scattered across his heart and focused his mind on training and…" His smile faded as he remembered his past, wondering if he should continue. He knew instantly that Sarada wouldn't accept that, so he found strength in himself to finish. "defeating me."

Sarada shook her head, her eyes clearly unbelieving in his steady words. He raised an eyebrow at her skeptical frown. "Why would Papa want to defeat you? You're his brother." Sarada glowered disconcertingly while Itachi waved his hand in dismissal.

Sometimes, I wonder if I should tell her these things at a young age, he thought hopelessly as she pressed onto him, her hands on both his shoulders as if she was almost forcing the words out of him. Itachi shook his head, pulling her back into a half-hug, "Both him and I are flesh and blood, but I would have been always there for him, even if I was only an obstacle for him to overcome. I have done things for the sake of my village that I never accepted as right, but thought of them a duty as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. Even though he did hate me, resented me, that's what big brothers are for."

Sarada paused for a moment, before accepting her uncle's wise words. Sometimes, I wonder how he talks like that, she thought sincerely before nodding her head in agreement and in misperception while Itachi let out a small laugh of pleasure, but she didn't press any further and Itachi silently thanked her. "Sasuke had been training on his own until Sakura had appeared, offering him flowers in her affection. Sasuke refused them without hesitation, dismissing her with a turn of his head and wave of his hand. Your mother, in return, accepted his refusal and walked away silently in return, dropping the flowers behind her."

Sarada held out a fist, her glasses glaring as Itachi nearly sighed aloud. Itachi felt Sarada's anger swelling up inside her as her chakra flared with frustration. "Mom would never do that now! She's strong and she would stand up to him!"

Itachi agreed, putting both his sister-in-law's personality with his own niece's firing nature before putting two and two together. He decided on continuing the story while Sarada had settled back down. "Though Sakura had left, Sasuke continued training, but after a while, the flowers Sakura had put down were picked up by someone. Can you guess who?" Itachi mysteriously posed, pointing towards her with a single finger.

Sarada thought hard, her hand under his chin as she gazed hopefully at her uncle in case he gave away anything, which of course, he didn't. "Uncle Naruto?"

Itachi shook his head. I will let her guess three more times before I tell her the answer, he concluded. She was smart, she would eventually figure out.

"Uncle Lee?" She asked almost fact-like, but when Itachi shook his head once again, she slumped down in frustration. After a moment of thought, she leaped to her feet, jabbing a finger at her unstartled uncle.

"Papa!" She yelled, throwing her hands in the air when Itachi knelt his head down, closing his eyes while smiling strongly at Sarada's wide-ranging personality.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door and Sarada and Itachi's head's swung over to look at the brown down that had stayed still this entire time. The knock sounded again and Sarada waited a moment before cupping her hands over her mouth, Uncle a nervous glance, who didn't seem the least bit anxious in the slightest. His hands were at his side as he leaned back, reclining in his couch seat casually.

"Sarada, is that you? Open the door!"

The womanly yell from the other side of the door caused Sarada to jump before running to the door in a bolt, clearly not suspecting her parents to get home so soon from their mission and work at the hospital. She had sensed her father's presence with her mother, but despite his chakra he wasn't making a sound, like usual.

"Sarada."

Sarada looked behind her before opening the door, her fingers were already wrapped neatly around the door knob. Uncle was now standing, smiling as he motioned her to open the door. He was acting different and she didn't understand why, but she opened the door anyway, unconcerned about anything other. Mama stood in the doorway with bags in her hands and an annoyed expression on her face while Papa stood behind her, eyes calm and relaxed as ever. He too carried grocery bags, and she guessed that Mama had forced him against his will.

Sakura marched forward, glaring disorderly at Sarada while Sarada took a worried step back. Sakura wagged a finger before she lifted her head, "Why did it take you so long to open the door?"

Sarada pushed in her glasses with her index finger, her red glasses now on top of the bridge of her nose. She swung around, holding her finger out. "It was Un–" Her voice dropped before turning around and glaring at… an empty couch. Her pointed finger that was supposedly raised at Uncle was lowering slowly as a confused expression crept onto her face. Where's Uncle? She thought as she turned back to her disbelieving mother and expressionless father.

Mama sighed, dropping her bags and folding a hand over her head. "Sarada–"

"No! Uncle disappeared!" She finished before dropping her sentence when a glowing figure suddenly appeared in front of her, nearly invisible with the lightness of their flowing white gown. Sarada felt her breath taken away at the sudden illuminating figure glowing brightly in front of her. She looked around quickly: Mama had turned around, sorting through the bags while Papa was setting his bags down on the table next to them, clearly uninterested. Were they not seeing what was going on? Wait… she paused, blinking twice before recognizing the face that stood in front of her. Her jaw dropped, confusingly. Uncle? When did he change into a white gown so fast and… _why_ did he change into a white gown?

Her face lifted with her eyes wide when Uncle dipped his head before lifting his fingers towards her, the rest of his hand curling over his thumb and palm. He motioned her forward and slowly approached her with his outstretched hand, and poked her in the forehead with his center and index finger. This time, though, he didn't pull away, but just held it there, never moving. The light around him seemed to flare and move around and Sarada found it hard to believe that Mama and Papa weren't excited to watch this happen! Uncle smiled calmly, his gaze never lifting from her stare as he lifted his fingers off Sarada's forehead. Before she could say anything in reply, he held a hand up in front of him, suddenly appearing at her side. He had flashed next to her, hanging over her side now with a smile split across his bright and cracked face.

"Sarada, I will love you, always." He murmured, confidently, before fading quickly from her view with a quick flash of light that seemed to never be there in the first place. Sarada blinked again. Was she dreaming or was Uncle just glowing? She wasn't quite sure, so she pinched herself, letting out a yelp suddenly and receiving the confused glares of both her parents.

"Sarada, what are you doing?" Her mother's call asked, worry in her voice that never seemed to be there before.

Sarada shook her head, her hands outstretched. What do you mean what am I doing? "Did you not just see Uncle _glowing_?" Sakura blinked. "Papa, you had to have saw it, right?" She asked, her hands clutched in fists in front of her in a disapproving frown of distress as Sasuke glared at her with an expressionless gaze again.

This time though, his expression was a tad bit meaningful and confused at the same time. "Uncle?" His heart stopped as his mood changed, "You saw Itachi?" He exclaimed and Sarada flinched.

She had never seen Papa like this before. He was scary; he was usually brooding, expressionless, or dull whenever he had the chance but to see him in this… excited, surprised new tone was unbearable and weird. "Um," She stopped, turning away from Sasuke.

Sarada looked up after a few moments, staring at her mother, who had a hand on Sasuke's shoulder knowingly, as if she was sad for him or with him. Papa, Sarada noticed, looked extremely saddened by the mention of Uncle's name as well. She was certainly confused, but she realized that Uncle had never finished the story of her parents meeting. She felt an urge to ask them, as if someone was pushing her into doing it.

"Papa, Mama?" Sarada asked, her red glasses still pushed up on the bridge of her nose while Sasuke looked down at Sarada with an expressionless glare again, which Sarada appreciated. Sakura still had her hand on Sasuke's shoulder, but she had a frown on her face as if she wasn't ready for what Sarada was going to say.

Sarada took a deep breath, feeling the presence of Uncle next to her, whispering for her to ask them to take away their sad feelings. Sarada snorted, She knew that already! "How did you first meet?"

 **~Just a short story of what I wished would have happened!**


End file.
